Theft prevention device for motor vehicles



June 23, 1959 F; LE ROY EMBRY THEFT PREVENTION DEVICE FOR MOTOR VEHICLES Filed Oct. 4, 1957 1 N VEN TOR.

FP/M/A/U/V uwa EMEF) ATTCI RN EYS nited States Patet THEFT PREVENTION DEVICE FOR MOTOR VEHICLES Franklin LeRoy Embry, Dallas, Tex.

Application October 4, 1957, Serial No. 688,227

1 Claim. (Cl. 180-82) This invention relates to a vehicle such as an automobile, and more particularly to a theft prevention device or mechanism for such a vehicle.

The object of the invention is to provide a device which is adapted to be connected into the vehicle electrical system in such a manner that in the event that a thief attempts to steal the vehicle by connecting a jumper the carburetor whereby the vehicle cannot run or move even though the jumper wire has been connected in place by the thief, and wherein when the rightful owner of the vehicle places the proper key in the ignition switch, the vehicle can be operated in the usual manner for normal driving.

A further object of the invention is to provide a vehicle safety device which is extremely simple and inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application, and in which like numerals are used to designate like parts throughout the same:

Figure 1 is a schematic view showing the parts in one position.

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1, but showing the parts in a different position.

Referring in detail to the drawings, there is shown the usual gas or fuel tank 20 for the vehicle, while the numeral 21 indicates the usual fuel pump and the numeral 22 indicates the vehicle carburetor. The numeral 23 indicates the fuel line or conduit which extends between the gas tank 20 and the fuel pump 21, and a line 24 extends from the pump 21 to the carburetor 22. The conduit 23 is modified according to the present invention by installing or connecting therein a T-fitting 25, and the fitting 25 is provided with a valve seat 26. The numeral 27 indicates a needle valve which is mounted for movement into and out of opening and closing relation with respect to the valve seat 26, and a solenoid 28 is provided for actuating the needle valve 27 so that the needle valve 27 can be moved into and out of closing relation with respect to the valve seat 26. The numeral 29 indicates a first conductor which extends between the solenoid 28 and a ground connection 30.

The numeral 31 indicates a circuit breaker which includes a stationary base 32 that has a contact member 33 secured thereto, and extending from the base 32 and connected thereto is a support member 34 which has an arm 37 connected thereto. The arm 37 is movable,

and the arm 37 carries a contact member 35 which is mounted for movement into and out of engagement with the contact member 33 on the stationary base 32. A second conductor 36 extends from the arm 37 to the solenoid 28. The numeral 38 includes an electromagnet which is adapted to be used for moving the arm 37 to a position so that the contact member 35 can engage the stationary contact member 33.

The vehicle further includes the usual voltage regulator 39 which includes an armature terminal 40, a field terminal 41, and a battery terminal 42. A third conductor 43 extends between the armature terminal 40 and the base 32, and a fourth conductor 44 extends between the electromagnet 38 and the conductor 43.

The vehicle further includes an ignition switch which is indicated generally by the numeral 45, and the switch 45 includes first and second contact switch elements 46 and 47. A fifth conductor 48 extends between the electromagnet 38 and the first contact switch element 46. A sixth conductor or wire 49 leads from the first contact switch element 46 and is adapted to be grounded as at 50. The ignition switch 45 further includes the usual movable key element 51 which is mounted for movement into and out of engagement with the first and second contact switch elements 46 and 47. The numeral 52 indicates a seventh conductor which leads from the contact switch element 47 to the vehicle ignition coil. An eighth conductor 53 leads from the contact switch element 47, and the numeral 54 indicates the vehicle generator, while the numeral 55 indicates the vehicle battery which may be grounded at as 56. There is further provided a ninth conductor 57 which extends between the generator 54 and the third conductor 43. As shown in the drawings, a tenth conductor 58 leads from the field terminal 41 of the voltage regulator 39, to the generator 54. The numeral 59 indicates an eleventh conductor which extends from the terminal 42 of the voltage regulator to the battery 55, and to the eighth conductor 53.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that there has been provided a mechanism which is adapted to be used for preventing a thief from stealing a car or vehicle. It is to be noted that when the vehicle is parked, the movable key element 51 of the ignition switch 45 is in the position shown in Figure 1 so that the element 51 is out of engagement with the contact switch element 47. Thus, when a thief attempts to steal the car, he will connect a jumper wire 60 between the ignition coil conductor 52 and the conductor 53. When this happens, with the device of the present invention mounted in the vehicle, and with the ignition key removed and the contact switch elements 46 in engagement with each other, Fig. 1, the circuit to the electro-magnet 38 will be completed after the engine has been started and the generator has closed the circuit through the voltage regulator. Thus the electromagnet 38 will be energized to thereby attract the arm 37 which moves the contact member 35 into engagement with the contact member 33 so that electrical energy can flow from the conductor 43 through the base 32, then through the conductor members 33 and 35, and then through the arm 37, and then through the conductor 36 to energize the solenoid 28. With the solenoid 28 energized, the needle valve 27 is raised so that the valve seat 26 is open as shown in Fig. 1 whereby suction or vacuum in the conduit 23 will be broken. With the vacuum pressure released from the conduit 23, it will be seen that even though the fuel pump 21 is operating, the gasoline or fuel cannot be sucked up or pumped through the conduit 23 so that the thief cannot drive the vehicle beyond the point that is permitted by the small amount of fuel which is in the carburetor 22. Thus, with the present invention the thief will only be able to move the vehicle a few feet or a short distance, and then the vehicle will stop moving so that the thief can be more easily apprehended, and at any rate theft of the vehicle is prevented so that the vehicle can be easily recovered, even though it has been moved a short distance.

The foregoing has described the operation which occurs when a thief attempts to steal the vehicle by connecting the jumper wire 69 between the conductors 52 and 53. However, when the driver of the vehicle inserts the proper key in the ignition switch 45, the movable key element 51 is moved from the position shown in Fig. l to the start ing position shown in Fig. 2 so that the vehicle can be driven or operated in the usual manner. This is possible because when the key element 51 moves from the position shown in Fig. l to the position shown in Fig. 2, the electrical circuit to the electromagnet 38 is broken whereby the resiliency of the circuit breaker 31 will cause the arm 37 to move away from the base 32 so that the contact member 35 will be out of engagement with the contact member 33. This has the practical effect of breaking the circuit to the solenoid 28 so that the needle valve 27 will remain in closing relationship with respect to the valve seat 26 so that there is no interference with vacuum pressure in the conduit 23 whereby the fuel pump 21 can pump the gasoline or fuel from the tank 20 to the car buretor 22 in the usual manner.

The jumper can be used at any point under the dashboard, for example, tinfoil could be inserted in the ignition lock in order to jump the current and even if a professionel car thief knew where the device was located on the car and had a blue print of its operation, he could still not steal the car because cutting the wires er even removing the device from the car causes the needle valve to open and render the car inoperative. The device is in expensive to make and install, rugged in construction and completely effective. Once an attempt is made to steal a car equipped with the device, the owner does not have to make any repairs to get the car back in operating condition since he simply removes the jumper wire which is the only method by which a thief can start a car without a key, and then by using the ignition key, the valve is reset and the car operates normally.

As shown in Fig. l, with the circuit breaker points 35 and 33 closed, when the car is started by means of the jumper wire 69, the solenoid 28 pulls the valve 27 up from the seat 26 which lets air in the fuel line 23 so that the car will only run until the gas is used from the carburetor. When the car is started by the switch key as shown in Fig. 2, the circuit breaker 31 opens so that the car can operate normally. tually a disabling unit, since the car will only go a short distance and will then stop. The car will go far enough to permit current to move from the generator 54 causing the solenoid to open so as to cause the fuel pump to cease operations. Thus, the net result is that the car will stop when the carburetor is dry.

Furthermore, the apparatus is small and can be easily hidden inside the underframe of the car and this is The present invention is acagain an element of surprise since a car thief would not think that the car is thief proofed. The apparatus uses conventional parts which can be easily assembled and the entire unit requires very little space. Furthermore, the device does not require the redesigning or reconstruction of any part of existing automobiles except for a cutting of the gas line 23 between the fuel pump and the gas tank and the installation of a T-connection in the same. Furthermore, in the event of any difficulty, the owner of the car being familiar with the unit, can make the unit inoperative by removing the lead wire from the generator.

I claim:

In a vehicle having a fuel conduit, a theft preventing device comprising: a fitting arranged in said conduit and said fitting having a valve seat therein, a needle valve mounted for movement into and out of opening and closing relation with respect to said valve seat, a solenoid for actuating said needle valve, a first conductor extending from said solenoid and leading to a ground connection, a circuit breaker spaced from said solenoid and said circuit breaker including a base having a contact member thereon, a support member extending from said base, an arm connected to said support member and having a contact member mounted for movement towards and away from the contact member on said base, a second conductor extending between said solenoid and said arm, an electromagnet for actuating said arm, a voltage regulator spaced from said circuit breaker and said voltage regulator including armature, field and battery terminals, a third conductor extending between the armatnre terminal and the arm of said circuit breaker, a fourth conductor extending between said electromagnet and said third conductor, an ignition switch including a first and second contact switch element, a fifth conductor extending between said electromagnet and said first contact switch element, a sixth conductor having one end connected to said first contact switch element and its other end adapted to be grounded, said ignition switch further including a movable key element mounted for movement into and out of engagement with said first and second contact switch elements, a seventh conductor leading from said second contact switch element to the vehicle ignition coil, an eighth conductor connected to said second contact switch element, a generator and battery spaced from said voltage regulator, a ninth conductor extending between said third conductor and said generator, a tenth conductor extending between the field terminal of said voltage regulator and said generator, and an eleventh conductor connecting the battery terminal of the voltage regulator to the eighth conductor and to the vehicle battery.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

